We needed a good performance in qualifying, but also a weekend in which to be consistently fast and Valentino Rossi had both. The eighth position on the grid is a good step forward for the Doctor after the difficulties of recent times and, even if it does not allow us to dream big, it is the right point to rebuild a season that has given very little satisfaction so far.
“Who knows, maybe it’s thanks to this very technical track that I really like – the Doctor smiles – When a driver goes fast it’s thanks to many aspects, maybe I’m competitive at Silverstone because I enjoy it “.
What is the budget?
“We continued to improve, since the morning I worked well on both the setup and the tires. In the last two free practice sessions and in qualifying I have always been in the top 10 and this makes me happy, I drive well and have good potential, in some parts of the track I am particularly fast and I enjoy it, it is really a pleasure to drive. I want to continue like this, even if it’s not easy”.
Do you think this Grand Prix could be a turning point for your season?
“The second part started in a different way from the first, in which I expected to go well on some tracks where I struggled. We found a way to improve the bike to feel more comfortable and in Austria I had done two decent races, from now on I hope things will go better. For me it is important to be able to stay in the top 10 and have some good races, because they will be the last for me. Unfortunately the ones I will remember will be these and not those of 15 years ago when I always won (ride)”.
So what do you expect from tomorrow, will it be your best chance of the year?
“It depends, in Qatar I was faster in qualifying, but here at Silverstone I have a better pace. But I also had a good pace in Assen and Barcelona, but then other problems arose in the race. It’s the good and the bad of MotoGP: you never know what’s going to happen, even when you choose the right tirese (ride)”.
Will tires be essential?
“Before FP4 I was oriented on the medium to the rear, because the hard is more difficult to bring up to temperature, but in the afternoon I was faster with the latter. With both it will be difficult to get to the end and you have to understand which one degrades better, the hard one is not always more effective at the end of the race. In addition, we will also need to see the choices of the other riders, if everyone started with the average it would be difficult with the hard in the first laps.”.
Is the departure the fundamental phase?
“That and the first laps, I was usually fast at the start of the race, but from Sachsenring onwards I started to have problems. Since we introduced the front lowering, it is not easy to adjust the electronics but it seems that we have understood the problem and my feelings are better”.
Today you have often followed Bagnaia, did you agree?
“No. Now everyone makes his own strategy and it is important to have someone in front, but it was nothing we talked about”.
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